This invention relates to an apparatus for supplying articles dispersively in an automatic weighing system of the combinatorial weighing type.
A conventional automatic weighing system is composed of a plurality of weighing machines arrayed in a circle. In carrying out a weighing operation with such a system, the weighing machines are supplied with articles to be weighed and combinations of weight values obtained from each of the weighing machines, as well as the total weight of each combination are computed. A combination, are computed whose total weight is equal or closest to a target weight is selected from among the available combinations, and only the articles in the weighing machines corresponding to the selected combination are discharged from these weighing machines, so that a batch of articles the weight of which is equal or closest to the target weight is obtained.
In an automatic weighing system of this type, the articles, which fall from a conveyor, are supplied dispersively into weighing hoppers associated with respective ones of a plurality of weighing machines, or into a plurality of pool hoppers overlying respective weighing hoppers. Accordingly, an apparatus for effecting such dispersive supply must be disposed at the center of the circularly arrayed hoppers.
A conventional dispersing supply apparatus is provided with a dispersing bowl the circumferential wall portion of the dispersing bowl having discharge ports at positions corresponding to the plurality of circularly arranged weighing hoppers or pool hoppers, and a dispersing table disposed at the upper part of the dispersing bowl at the center of the dispersing bowl for receiving the articles which fall from the conveyor. In the operation of this dispersing apparatus, the dispersing table is rotated to disperse the articles radially outward by centrifugal force and, hence, distribute them on the dispersing bowl. The dispersing bowl is vibrated to transfer the articles to the circumferential wall portion of the dispersing bowl, where the discharge ports are provided.
However, the foregoing dispersing supply apparatus is defective in that certain articles are difficult to dispersively supply in uniform and stable manner. For example, articles that become easily entwined, such such as articles that are long, slender and soft, cannot be uniformly dispersed. As a result, some of the weighing hoppers or pool hoppers are supplied with an excessive amount of the articles in an entangled mass, while others receive too little of the articles.